Electrical body-contact device



1. w. MURPHY. ELECTRICAL BODY CONTACT DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.` 28, |920.

Patented DeQzs, 1920.

Fg. l

, 6b@ WM JAMES. W.V MURPHY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ELECTRICAL BODY-CONTACT DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 28, 1920.

Application mea April 2s, 1020. serial No. 377,237. n

To all whom t 'may @0f/wem.'

Be it known that I, JAMES W. MURPHY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county-of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Body- ContactDevices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an electromedical device, and has foritsobject the providing of a compact instrument comprising two electrodes,so arranged lthat the patient himself can apply the device with one handand have the other free to regulate the flow of electric current, forinstance, or to apply a massaging action to the part of the body beingtreated with the electrical application.

further object is to provide an instrument of such simple constructionthat it can be readily assembled or disassembled for inspection orrepair.

Further objects will appear from the following speciiication, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows alongitudinal section of the device with the parts in assembled relation,and with the source of electric energy shown conventionally;

Fig. 2 shows an elevation of the porcelain core' 3 shows an elevation ofthe supporting sleeve; and

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the clamping nut.

Like numerals refer to like members throughout the drawings, in which- 5is an outer electrode, the body of which is of suitable metal, shown asof substantially hemispherical shape and terminating at its lower end ina threaded cylindrical collar 6, which threadedly receives an innersleeve S.

The sleeve 8 is carried by a cylindrical shell 9, and engages thethreaded portion 6 of the outer electrode. The sleeve is bent or turnedover aninwardly projecting flange 9a of the base member 9, which iscomposed of hard rubber, or other suitable insulating material. (SeeFig. 1). The member 9 is further provided with an outwardly extendingflange 9b, having its outer edge serrated or knurled for convenience Ainassembling.l

linner diameter of the base collar 9a.

The core member 13, shown for example in Fig. 2, is constructed ofporcelain, or the like, and to it is attached at its lower end thethreaded sleeve 14, which has an upwardly extending collar 14a, ofreduced diameter, engaging the core 13. The diameter of the threadedsleeve 14 is less than the EX- tending upwardly from the collar 14a isthe binding post 16, which is attached to an indentation of the collarby small rivets, solder, or other means. A screw 17 extends through thebinding post 16. r1`he porcelain core 13 has a recess 18 therein toaccommodate the binding post 16 and screw 17,

.whereby said terminal and screw cannot interfere with the assembling ofthe member. On the opposite side of the core 13 is a longitudinal hole19, of sufficient diameter to receive an ordinary electric wire 35, theend of which engages the screw 21, which is received by thescrew-threaded hole 22, preferably located in the center of the core.The screw 21 also holds the inner electrode 23 in its positionconcentrically within the outer electrode, said inner electrode beingformed of any suitable metal, such as brass or Zinc, and having afrusto-conical wall 241, and a circular disk 25 soldered or otherwisesuitably secured thereon, said disk having a hole 26 in the centerthereof, through which a small screw-driver may be inserted to turn thescrew 21 into the threaded recess 22 of the core 13. A small washer 27is placed on' the inner side of the flattenedV vertex of the cone, forthe purpose of adding strength to the device. The upper surface of theinner electrode, formed by the disk 25, lies in the same plane as theupper peripheral extremity of the outer electrode, which is preferablybeaded to form two annular rolls 27a. In operation a wet chamois skin28, or other suitable material, may be stretched across the extremitiesof the electrodes, to prevent burning the patients body, and the same isheld thereon by a split ring 29, which seats within th channel betweenthe rolls.

In assembling the various parts of this invention into operativerelation, the member 7 is screwed up'into the threaded portion of theouter electrode, as shown in Fig. 1. The core member 13 is then droppedwithin the threaded portion of the two asy l sembled members, in whichposition the ledge 12 of the member 7 will engage the shoulder 141 ofthe member 13. To firmly hold the said members in this position, Iprovide a nut 31 (see Fig. 4), which is com posed, preferably, of hardrubber, and has a longitudinal opening 32 through the center thereof, ofa diameter suliicient to accommodate the two usual electric wires 35,and outside shell portion 33, adapted to abut against the lower surfaceof the member 9 (see Fig. 1) and the centrally located screw-threadedportion 34, which is adapted to be received within the female threads 14of the core member. It will thus be seen that the core member 13 willberigidly held in position within the inner shell member 7. Suitablewires from a source of supply of electric energy enter through the hole32 of the member 31, one of the wires thenV going through the hole 19 ofthe core member, where it makes suitable connections with the innerelectrode by means of the screw 21, around which the end of the wire iswrapped, the screw forcing the extremity of the electrode down intocontact with the wire, which rests upon a small copper washer 21a housedwithin the top of the core member.

The other wire enters the cavity 18 and connects with the terminal 16 bymeans of the screw 17, between the head of which and the said terminalthe wire is securely held. Current flows from the terminal 16 to theband 14a, then to the inner shell member 7, through the connection madebetween the ledge 12 of said member with the shoulder 14. of the coremember, and from said inner shell to said outer electrode. 'The electriccurrent for the operation of the device may be obtained from ordinarydry batteries in conjunction with an induction coil, or from an ordinarylighting circuit in conjunction with a transformer.

In the use of this device the current is turned on and the instrumentapplied to that part of the body desired to be treated. The current willliow from one electrode through the skin to the other electrode, thusgiving a local electrical treatment to that part of the body upon whichthe instrument is applied, which distinguishes this compact instrumentfrom those commonly in use. i

Although I have shown and described a particular embodiment of myinvention, it will be understood that it may be constructed in variousforms without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim 1. In a device of the class described, an outer electrode, aninner electrode, said electrodes having their outer extremities in thesame plane, a chamois adapted to be stretched across the outerextremities ot' said electrodes, means for securing said chamois in saidposition, and means for connecting each of said electrodes to a sourceof electric energy.

2. In a device of the class described, an outer electrode, an insulatingcore member carried by said outer electrode, an inner electrode mountedconcentrically within said outer electrode upon said insulating core,said electrodes having their upper eX- tremities in the same plane,means for connecting eachofsaid electrodes to a source of Velectricenergy, a chamois skin adapted to be stretched across the upper surfacesof said electrodes, and means for holding said chamois skinl in positionthereacross.

3. In a device ofthe class described, an outer electrode, an insulatingcore member carried by said outer electrode, an inner electrodeconcentrically mounted within said outer electrode upon said insulatingcore member, a supporting member threadedly engaging said outerelectrode to support said core member, means for securely holding saidcore member in positionon said supporting member, and means forelectrically connecting each of said electrodes to a source of supply ofelectric energy.

4. An outer electric ring, an inner electrode, a core of insulatingmaterial, said electrode being carried thereby, wires each having itsterminal in electrical communication with one of said electrodes andmeans to convey current through 4said wires.

5. An inner electrode, an outer electrode, a core of insulatingmaterial, said electrodes being carried thereby, a sleeve surroundingsaid core, said outer electrode bei ing engaged by said sleeve, andmeans to convey current to each of said electrodes.

6. An inner electrode, an outer electrode, a core of insulatingmaterial, said electrodes being carried thereby, a sleeve surroundingsaid core, said outer electrode being engaged by said sleeve, means toconvey current to each of said electrodes, and means to secure saidmembers in assembled position.

7. An inner electrode, an outer electrode, a core of insulatingmaterial, said electrodes being carried thereby, a sleeve surroundingsaid core, said outer electrode being engaged by said sleeve, means toconvey current to each of said electrodes, and means to secure saidmembers in assembled position, said last named means comprising athreaded nut.

8. An inner electrode, an outer electrode, a core of insulatingmaterial, said electrodes being carried thereby, a sleeve surroundingsaid core, said outer electrode being engaged by said sleeve, means toconvey current to each of said electrodes, means to secure said membersin assembled position, said lastnamed means comprising a threaded nut,and a threaded sleeve carried by said core.

9. In a device of the class described, an

outer electrode rig, an inner electrode, a across said electrode, andmeans to secure chamois stretched or otherwise extending said chamois tosaid ring, said means comacross said electrode, and means to secureprising a clamping member operable to 10 said chamois to said ring.clamp said chamois to said electrode ring.

l0. In a device of the class described, an In testimony whereof, I havesubscribed outer electrode ring, an inner electrode, t my name. cha-moisstretched or otherwise extending JAMES WV. MURPHY.

